Community board members last year called for Lakes Environmental's enforcement officers to get tough on people discarding their cigarette butts in Wanaka's public places.
Anyone caught littering is liable for a $100 instant fine under a Queenstown Lakes District Council bylaw.
However, despite protests by community board members disgusted at the growing amount of cigarette-butt litter, only a handful of people have been fined.
Lakes Environmental regulatory and compliance manager Lee Webster said five infringement notices had been issued, but he was unable to specify whether the $100 fines were specifically for discarding cigarette butts.
A litter fine could be imposed for a range of activities, including anything from dropping a cigarette butt to the illegal dumping of rubbish.
Two infringement notices had been issued in both Wanaka and Queenstown with a further fine dished out in Frankton, he said.
He rejected a suggestion Lakes Environmental officers had ignored the call from the Wanaka Community Board.
"If we get any complaints about an increase in litter at a certain place, say cigarette butts on the beaches, then we make sure we have a higher presence of [enforcement officers] patrolling there," he said.
Council-employed town custodians often pointed out problem areas of litter to LE officers rather than complaints being made by the public, Mr Webster said.
